My Friend of Misery
by SeiyaKou1
Summary: A very different Ryouga returns to Nerima after being gone for 10 years to find that things have changed a lot.


**My Friend of Misery**

By: SeiyaKou1

Chapter 1: The Reunion

            The sun shines brightly in the sky above the mountains of Japan. A lone figure is leaning against a tree and taking a drink from a water bottle. The figure is a young man in his late twenties, with shoulder length black hair. He is dressed in a black sleeveless shirt and worn blue jeans. Beside him is a large back-pack with a bamboo umbrella strapped to it.

            "Well, Ryouga, you've done it," he speaks quietly to himself, "you've come back to Japan." He looks up at the sun and continues to talk. "Let's see, I should get to Tokyo in a few hours. It's been ten years. I haven't been to Nerima since that day."

***Flashback***

A younger Ryouga with much shorter hair and dressed in a very different fashion is sitting cross-legged on the floor of a very familiar looking dojo. Across from him Akane and Ranma are sitting side-by-side.

Ranma begins speaking nervously, "Ryouga, we called you here today for a reason."

"Yes, we have something that we would like to tell you," says Akane when she notices that Ranma seem to be struggling for words. "We want to tell you that we have decided to get married."

An utterly surprised Ryouga looks from Akane to Ranma and back to Akane. "How can this be? Is it your parents who…"

"No," Akane interrupts, "this was our decision. Our parents didn't have anything to do with it. Ranma and I are very much in love. I know you have feelings for me and I know this must be painful for you… but you have a right to know… because you will always be a friend to me."

Ryouga, crushed by this shocking news, stands. "I… I don't believe this… it can't be true…" He looks at Ranma and growls, "You… this is your fault!" He pulls his fist back. "I'll kill you!"

"Ryouga don't!" screams Akane, "Stop it… please… this is no one's fault."

Ryouga lets his fist drop to his side. He turns his back to them and walks out the door.

Akane stands and starts to follow after him. "Ryouga, wait."

Ranma places his hand on her shoulder from behind and speaks quietly, "No, let him go. That's what he wants. He'll be back sometime. It may be years from now, but he'll be back."

***End Flashback***

            Ryouga wipes a single tear from his eye and laughs dryly. "It's been ten years and thinking about that still gets me worked up. Oh well, it's in the past. I'm a different person now… I've changed…"

            He puts his water bottle in his bag and hoists it over his shoulder. He pulls a map out of his pocket, looks at it for a bit, and heads towards Tokyo.

******

            It is evening in Nerima and a twenty-eight year old Kuonji Ukyou is humming happily as she scrubs the counter tops in her okonomiyaki restaurant. Another average day has gone by. It been pretty quiet in Nerima since Ranma and Akane got married, but Ukyou doesn't mind. She likes things this way. 

About a year after the wedding Shampoo finally got discouraged and left. She went back to China and of course Moose went with her. Cologne lost in a fight with Ranma, trying to force him to leave Akane and marry Shampoo. Since Cologne lost the fight fairly she did the honorable thing and left with Shampoo and Moose. The Kunou family was no longer in Nerima either. After High School Tatewaki and Kodachi Kunou lingered for a while bothering the newly wed couple, but after loosing hope they both moved to Kyoto to attend college. The old pervert Happosai died from natural causes just a few years ago, and surprisingly there were a good many people at his funeral. Last but not least, Ryouga… Ryouga just disappeared. No one has seen or heard from him at all.

Ukyou sighs. Thinking about the past always depressed her a bit. She was the only person who stayed. She thought she loved Ranma, but it was a one sided love. He never thought of her as more than a friend and never would. She tells herself that she is over him, but she's not sure how true that is. No matter what happens she will always be his friend, and she will always be Akane's friend.

A familiar dark figure walks into Ukyou's restaurant. Ukyou looks up from the counter top and smiles.

"Welcome Ucchan's Okonomiyaki!"

"Hello, Ukyou, been a while hasn't it?" speaks the man with a smile on his face.

Ukyou blinks and cocks her head to the side. "Umm… do I know you?"

"You recognize me? It's Ryouga."

Ukyou stares at him wide-eyed. "Ryouga? It's really you isn't it? God, you look different."

Ryouga laughs. "Yes, it's really me."

Ukyou sits down still looking shocked. "It's been how long? Ten years? Have you been to see Ranma and Akane yet?"

"No, this is the first place I stopped. I'm going there next to say hi."

"Really? How long are you staying?"

"I just came to say hi and to see how everyone's doing. So I won't be here for very long."

"Oh… too bad…" Ukyou looks up at the clock "You know… it's pretty late. I have a spare futon upstairs. Why don't you stay here tonight and tomorrow you can visit Ranma and Akane."

"I would hate to impose on you like that."

"No, it's okay. It would be nice to have some company for a change."

"But…"

"Come on. It will be nice to catch up."

Ryouga thinks for a bit. "Okay, I'll stay. I've been traveling for a few days strait now. It would be nice to get some sleep."

Ukyou smiles. "Now… I'll make you an okonomiyaki if you help me close up."

Ryouga returns her smile and drops his bag on the floor. "Sounds good to me. Your okonomiyaki is still the best I've ever had."

Ukyou and Ryouga close the restaurant and have supper, talking about the past and what happened to everyone.

******

            Ryouga opens his eyes and stares at the ceiling. It's light in the room. He looks over at the clock. It reads 12:30. He sits up and yawns.

            "Hmm… must have been more tired than I thought," he says to himself as he stands and stretches. He leaves the small room where he and Ukyou had slept. The living area above Ukyou's restaurant wasn't very large. It consisted of just the one room and a small hallway leading to the staircase and the bathroom.

            After leaving the room Ryouga makes his way across the hallway and stumbles down the staircase. He sees Ukyou behind the counter serving costumers.

            Ukyou catches a glace of him and smiles. "Morning, how'd you sleep?"

            "Better than I have in a month," he replies, returning her smile."

            She flips a finished okonomiyaki onto a customer's plate and begins work on another order.

            "That's good. When are you heading out?"

            "Now."

            Ukyou's face turns a little sad. It was nice having someone to talk to for a change. "Oh? Well… I wish I could go with you but I have a business to run here."

            "Well, it was nice seeing you again. Thanks for having me over," says Ryouga with a kind smile on his face.

            Ukyou turns to face him. "It was nice having you over. I hope you come and visit again sometime."

            "Yes, I'll come back. I'm not sure when, but I will be back." He walks over to a corner picks up his bag heads towards the door. "I guess this is goodbye."

            "Bye, Ryouga," she says a bit sadly as he leaves. 

"Oh no!" she exclaims as she smells the perfectly good okonomiyaki she let burn. 

She bows apologetically to the perturbed customer. "I'm so sorry. Here let me make you another one on the house." 

She begins work on the okonomiyaki, but her mind is obviously in a different place.

******

            It's a gloomy afternoon in Nerima, the sun hardly visible through the thick clouds. Ryouga walks through the neighborhood heading towards the once Tendo Dojo. At one time Ryouga would've dreaded and feared the rain but now he welcomes it with open arms. He enjoys it because it sooths him. It calms him when he is upset. He no longer has any reason to fear the rain, for he no longer bares the burden of his curse. Yes, P-chan is no more. During his travels Ryouga had stumbled on a cure for his curse, so he no longer has to fear cold water.

            Ryouga smiles a bit. He really has changed so much since he was last in Nerima. Besides his change in appearance and his new found love of the rain, there is one more big change in him. He is no longer the "eternally lost boy." After ten years of being on the road and traveling around the world, he had finally gotten over his horrible sense of direction. He is truly a changed man; different in so many ways.

            He finally reaches a familiar looking gateway. There is a faded wooden sign nailed next to the gate that reads "Saotome Dojo, Challengers always welcome." This causes Ryouga to chuckle a little.

            "Oh? Well, let's see how good Ranma has gotten in ten years. This might be interesting."

            It begins to rain lightly as Ryouga pushes the heavy gate open and walks down the pathway to the door of the dojo. Ryouga knocks firmly on the door and promptly a student opens the door.

            "Can I help you, sir?" asks the student, bowing politely.

            "I have come to challenge this dojo."

            "This way, sir." The young boy leads Ryouga into the dojo and to the middle of the room and Ryouga sees Ranma. An older, much more mature Ranma is helping an older student.

            Ranma looks pretty much the same. He has traded his classic pig-tail for a longer pony-tail that trails halfway down his back, but other than that he looks the same.

            The boy bows to Ranma and proclaims, "Master, this man has come to challenge the dojo."

            Ranma turns around, very interested in this news. He examines Ryouga and speaks, "Oh? We haven't had any decent challengers in years."

            Ryouga smirks because Ranma doesn't seem to recognize him. "Well I might just give you a run for your money."

            Ranma laughs lightly. "You seem pretty confident." He speaks loudly to the class. "This man has come to challenge our dojo. Why don't we see what he's made of?"

            All of the students sit along the walls of the dojo, mumbling excitedly about the fight. Ranma and Ryouga stand facing each other in the center of the room.

            Both assume their fighting stances as they anticipate their opponents attack. A few minutes pass and finally Ranma charges with a simple punch which Ryouga easily avoids.

            "Oh, come on," taunts Ryouga, "I _know_ you can do better than that."

            This angers Ranma and he jumps in the air attempting to kick Ryouga in the side of the head. Ryouga catches Ranma's leg, grabs hold of it, and slings Ranma across the room. Ranma crashes into the wall and forces himself to get up, not believing that this man was able to counter his attack.

            Ryouga drops his arms to the side and a familiar dark pillar surrounds him as he summons his most depressing thoughts and memories. Ranma's eyes widen as he realizes who he's standing across the room from.

            Ryouga lunges his hands in front of himself and shouts, "Shishihokodan!"

            A massive energy blast erupts from Ryouga's hands and hits Ranma in the chest, sending him flying through the wall of the dojo and out into the rain.

            Ryouga laughs to himself as the students of the dojo stare at him with awe. "I win."

******

            A damp female Ranma sits up quickly and sees Ryouga sitting across from her in the empty dojo drinking tea.

            Ryouga speaks in a mocking tone, "You've been out for a while. I didn't think I hit you that hard."

            Ranma stares a Ryouga, her mouth hanging open. "Ryouga? I didn't even recognize you."

            "Teaching has made you weak, Ranma. I'm disappointed."

            "Well I haven't had anyone decent to fight after you and everyone else left." Ranma looks around. "Where did everyone go?"

            "I told them to leave after they dragged your unconscious body in here."

            "That's fine. Class was about to be over anyway."

            "It sure is quiet around here. Where is everyone?"

            "Well my father and mother live in a house not to far from here. Kasumi got married to Dr. Toufuu a few years ago, after he finally got the nerve to propose and Akane's father moved in with them. They live at Dr. Toufuu's clinic. And after she graduated from college, Nabiki moved to America. She's a successful stock-broker now. As for everyone else…"

            "I heard about everyone else from Ukyou. I bumped into her last night," Ryouga interrupts, "Everything has changed a lot in the past ten years."

            The door opens and Akane steps in. "Ranma, I'm home from the store." She looks at Ryouga. "Oh, we have a guest?" Akane looks a bit older and more mature, but she still looks like the same Akane that had broken Ryouga's heart.

            Ranma looks up at Akane. "It's Ryouga. He's come back."

            Akane looks back at Ryouga who's trying to avoid looking at her. "Is it really you, Ryouga? It's been ages! You look completely different."

            Ryouga finally looks up at Akane and smiles. "Hi, Akane, it's nice to see you again. You look well."

            At that moment a small boy runs into the room and hugs Ranma. "Daddy! We're back! We're gonna have curry!" The boy looks at Ryouga. "Who's that?"

            Ranma smiles warmly. "That's daddy's friend from a long time ago. Ryouga, this is our son Hyuuga."

            Ryouga just stares at the boy. Not believing that Ranma and Akane had a kid. The boy hides behind Ranma.

            "How long are you going to be here Ryouga? I hope you will stay for supper," says Akane, noticing the awkward silence.

            Ranma chuckles. "Yes, you got to taste Akane's cooking. It's not lethal anymore!"

Akane smiles and gives Ranma a playful punch to the shoulder.

Ryouga grabs his bag, which is next to him, and stands, not looking at either of them. "No, I must be going. Maybe some other time."

Ryouga turns his back to them and starts heading for the door.

"Ryouga, wait…" speaks Ranma, trying to stop him, but Ryouga continues to walk outside into the rain, which is pouring heavily now. Ranma stares with an amazed look on her face when she notices that Ryouga doesn't transform.

When Ryouga is out of eye-sight of the family, he runs as fast as he can in no particular direction. After a little while, he trips and lands face first into a puddle. He sits up and cups his hands over his face, crying. He thought he could take it. He thought he had changed. He thought he had finally gotten over Akane. But when he saw them as a happy family, he couldn't take it. It was just too painful.

******

End of Chapter 1

*****Well, this is my first fic in a long long time. I would like to thank my girlfriend Jen (pen name Innocent Sake) for encouraging me to start writing again. If it wasn't for her I would have never started this fic. Tell me what you think about it so far. There's still more to come.*****


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